


Bright and the Serial Bride

by heartofawriter



Category: Mamma Mia! (2008)
Genre: F/M, Hanya is endgame, and also just because it's fun for me, but Tanya/Pepper is fun so a lot of that is involved, mostly as a way to make Harry jealous
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-06-26 23:55:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15673851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartofawriter/pseuds/heartofawriter
Summary: Five years after Donna and Sam's wedding, one year after their breakups with Harry and Bill, Tanya and Rosie return to Kalokairi expecting a calm, peaceful vacation with their best friend, free of the men who broke their hearts. However, their plans are derailed when their ex-lovers turn up after all.





	1. Chapter 1

It had been a long five years since Donna and Sam had gotten married, and a significant period of that time had been spent repairing and renovating the hotel to Donna’s desire. It had taken a lot of hard work, but finally, the hotel was ready for its grand reopening.

Which is why Tanya found herself currently seated next to Rosie on that Friday morning’s ferry headed for Kalokairi. Normally she looked forward to the trip. Seeing Donna and Sophie had always been a source of excitement. The two of them and Rosie were her family. The people she knew she could count on to always be there for her.

But this time was different. This time, she and Rosie were returning to the island after having gotten out of relationships with Harry and Bill respectively nearly a year earlier. They’d been dodging requests to talk about the breakups from Donna, Sophie, Sky, and even Sam, and both women were dreading the interrogation that was going to occur as soon as Donna got them alone in a quiet place.

“She’s not going to let it go!” Rosie was saying as Tanya finally tuned back into her friend’s rambling. “She’s going to  _ make _ us talk about it!” Tanya rolled her eyes.

“She can’t  _ make _ us do anything. Stop worrying so much.”

“You’re just as worried as me!” Rosie accused. “You’re just better at hiding it.”

“I’ve been married three times. I have plenty of practice concealing my emotions.”

“It’s going to be a  _ disaster _ .” Rosie moaned miserably.

“Would you  _ stop _ ? Bill and Harry aren’t even going to be there!” Tanya said, her irritation at the entire situation seeping into her tone.

“But Sam and Donna  _ will _ be there. And who knows what Bill and Harry have said to them!” She gave the shorter woman an unimpressed look.

“Who  _ cares _ what they’ve told them?” Rosie gave her a look.

“Would you care if you thought Beckett or Gavin or Victor would talk to Donna about your marriages?” Tanya gave her a scathing glare.

“That is  _ completely _ different, and you know it!” Her friend made a satisfactory noise, glad to have finally gotten a reaction.

“And why, pray tell, is it different?”

“Because Donna hadn’t met or slept with them when I met them! And she still hasn’t slept with them!”

“Don’t you think that makes it worse if Harry or Bill has talked to her? She’s more likely to listen to them and give them the benefit of the doubt because she knew and liked them before all this happened.” Tanya turned her head, scowling in the direction of the water when she realized that Rosie had set her up.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m coming to the island to drink and support Donna. Not talk about my failed love life.”

“Alright, alright, fair enough.” Rosie conceded, putting her hands up in surrender as the ferry slowly docked. The brunette ook a deep breath as she stood, forcing herself to calm down.

She wouldn’t be able to nonchalantly dodge questions from Donna if she gave into Rosie’s baiting and started to panic. With a quick readjustment of her sunglasses, she squared her shoulders and followed Rosie off the boat, grinning despite her worries when she sw Donna already waiting for them as usual. They were all smiles and squeals as they ran to greet each other, performing their trademark Dynamos chant. Everything felt normal...that is until Donna spoke up after the squealing and hugging had ceased.

“So...I have something to tell you both,” the blonde began, trying to seem disarming and casual. “It’s about Bill and Harry.”

“Ah,” Tanya held up a hand immediately. “No. No talk about them or breakups or  _ anything _ like that.”

“But Tan-” Donna tried.

“”I think I have to agree with the serial bride,” Rosie cut in, earning a glare from Tanya at the moniker. “We don’t want to bring the mood down during the celebration.” Donna looked between the two of them before shrugging.

“Okay. Let’s go then, girls.” Tanya and Rosie shared a look as they started to follow their friend to her jeep. It wasn’t like her to give up so easily, but they decided to chalk it up to stress and not worry about it.

The drive up to the villa was normal, filled with the jokes and laughter that was to be expected of the Dynamos. It was only when Donna stopped the car and her two best friends saw the small group of people waiting for them that the laughter and joyful mood ceased.

“Donna.” Tanya said in the calmest voice she could muster.

“I tried to tell you both.” Donna replied, stepping out of the car. “You wouldn’t listen.”

“You specifically said on the phone-” Rosie started.

“There was a change of plans.” Donna cut in.

Her two friends rolled their eyes, finally stepping out of the car to stand in front of none other than Harry Bright and Bill Anderson.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I figured that even though I have Tanya/Pepper tagged I should reiterate that, while Harry/Tanya is D E F I N I T E L Y this fic's endgame, there are probably going to be a lot of Tanya/Pepper interactions and stuff, first of all because I love them, and second of all because Tanya's 100% the kind of person to heavily flirt with other people to make someone jealous, and it's fun for me to write so, you know.
> 
> And also I'm really sorry for the long wait for this chapter, I kinda lost my muse for a bit, but I'm back and hopefully it won't be so long before the next one. This is dedicated to Chloe because she's been waiting for this since like August 14.

Tanya’s head was reeling as she stared at the men in front of her. As if it wasn’t bad enough that Harry and Bill had shown up when Donna had  _ specifically said they wouldn’t be there _ , all  _ three _ of her ex-husbands, whom she’d invited for the sole purpose of strong arming them into contributing to the hotel’s revenue and then avoiding them like the plague, had shown up a day early as well. Everyone else was watching her and Rosie carefully, though mostly her, waiting for some kind of explosive reaction. But she didn’t  _ want _ to explode. She wanted to remain calm. She wanted  _ a drink _ .

 

“Hello, Tanya.” The silence was finally broken by her first ex-husband. Her marriage to Beckett had been her longest...as well as the most heartbreaking. They’d married right after she’d graduated Oxford, and though she could have easily afforded it herself, he’d insisted on helping to put her through law school. So, naturally, near the end of their marriage when she’d caught him cheating with his young blonde secretary, he’d held it over her head, claiming her schooling and subsequent work at her firm had caused her to neglect their marriage.

 

“Beckett.” she finally replied, her tone almost  _ painfully _ neutral. “I wasn’t expecting you to be here until tomorrow.”

 

“We, uh, got offered seats on an earlier flight.” he said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

 

“Lovely.” she hummed in a tone that expressed just how  _ lovely _ she really thought that was. “Donna, is Pepper around?” The blonde in question couldn’t help an amused smirk.

 

“He should be on his way down to help with the bags.” she answered in a voice that was a bit too knowing for Tanya’s tastes.

 

“We could help.” The brunette’s dark eyes landed on her second husband at his words. Her marriage to Gavin hadn’t lasted as long as her first, only seven years. And though they’d gotten married more on a whim than actually planning it, she’d still loved him. She’d thought she’d learned the signs of a cheating husband after Beckett, but she was quickly proven wrong when her second husband did the exact same thing to her. He’d gotten himself a nice black eye from her hairdryer being hurtled at his head for that.

 

“Oh please, you’re a guest.” Donna was quick to wave the man’s offer away before Tanya could speak. “Honestly, Pepper needs to do something on this trip other than try to get Tan drunk anyway.” That earned her nothing but an eye roll from her brunette best friend. She opened her mouth to argue against the notion that Pepper ever actively  _ intended _ to get her drunk but was kept from doing so when the boy in question appeared at the bottom of the steep stairs with Sky and Sophie. She wasn’t sure whether to be amused or annoyed at the fact that he was carrying a cocktail that was obviously meant for her.

 

“Auntie Rosie, auntie Tanya!” Sophie’s squeals brought the brunette out of her thoughts, a smile immediately appearing on her face as her niece practically jumped into her arms.

 

“God Soph, you’ve gotta stop growing up on me!” she said, hugging the girl tightly. “It seems like just yesterday you barely reached my knee!”

 

“She still barely reaches your knee, you giraffe.” Rosie teased, earning a glare from Tanya.

 

“Oh be quiet, you little hobbit.” She snapped without much heat as Sophie giggled and moved to hug her other aunt. Her eyes moved to Pepper without her consent, and she couldn’t help the smirk that blossomed across her lips as he grinned and let his eyes roam her figure.

 

“Welcome back, mama.” he finally spoke, offering the drink to her. She pointedly ignored the knowing looks from Donna and Rosie as she took it, letting her hand linger a little longer than strictly necessary, if only for the varying degrees of consternation on her ex husbands’ faces.

 

“Lovely to be back, puppy.” she hummed, taking a sip of her drink as Pepper’s grin grew. For some reason that she had yet to figure out, he took no offense at the nickname she and the girls had long given him like most boys his age likely would’ve. She vaguely heard one of the men in the background questioning the nickname and Sky explaining with no small amount of amusement that his friend followed her around like a puppy. “Have you given up yet?”

 

“Oh I’m never giving up. I  _ will _ win you over, Tanya.”

 

“I look forward to seeing you try.” she replied easily, taking immense pleasure in the scowls she could just see out of the corner of her eye. It seemed  _ none _ of her exes, including Harry, were very amused by the flirtation, and she was loving every minute of their discomfort. Or jealousy, rather. In her opinion, it served them right to see that just because they didn’t want her, it didn’t mean no one else did.

 

“Oookay, I think it’s about time to get up to the hotel  _ before _ Tanya brings the boy to his knees.” Donna piped up, refusing to let up on her teasing. Pepper’s crush and Tanya’s indulgent flirting was one of the biggest sources of amusement for her and Rosie ever since Sophie’s almost wedding.

 

“Oh hush.” Tanya rolled her eyes again, taking another sip of her drink as they all started the trek up the hotel steps. She could feel Harry’s eyes on her but carefully refused to meet his gaze. She had been avoiding him for months, and she refused to let that change now that they were on the island again. She would just give herself a wide berth so that they wouldn’t be left alone together. Glancing over at where Rosie was doing her absolute best not to look at Bill in much the same fashion as her, she sighed quietly and mentally added keeping the man away from her best friend as much as possible to her list of things she had to do on this trip. Even if she couldn’t spare herself the pain that would come from confronting an ex lover, she would do everything in her power to spare Rosie.

 

She sent the shorter woman a questioning look, tilting her head to indicate she could move to Tanya’s other side if she wished. She knew it was the right decision when her friend sent her a look so grateful that anyone else would’ve thought Tanya had hung the moon for her. They spent the rest of the trek up to the hotel making jokes they had developed over the last year of helping each other through breakups neither could’ve truly handled on their own. It felt a bit strange at times for Donna not to understand, but they hadn’t talked to the blonde very much over the last year, not wanting to bring her mood down since she had been so happy with Sam. And though she did send them a few questioning looks, she didn’t seem overly upset at not being able to understand, so Tanya counted that as a win.

 

“I assumed the two of you would want to share a room like old times since...you know. I hope that’s okay.” Donna pulled them out of their bubble as they all made it to the top of the stairs.

 

“Well we’ve been living in the same apartment for nearly a year now, so it won’t be much different than normal.” Tanya replied with a slight shrug. And it was true. After finding out about Bill cheating on her, Rosie had practically begged to stay with her for a few days. Tanya had seen no reason to deny her, and so a few days had turned into a few weeks that quickly turned into a few months. Rosie saw no point in leaving, and Tanya had no reason to want her gone, so it had more or less become more of an indefinite arrangement.

 

“So that’s where you’ve been?” Bill remarked suddenly. It wasn’t accusatory, simply relieved. Tanya turned to her best friend, quirking an eyebrow.

 

“You didn’t tell him you had moved countries?” she asked.

 

“Would you have told Harry had it been the other way around?” Rosie retorted, giving her an unimpressed look. The taller brunette’s red painted lips contorted into a scowl, mostly because she knew Rosie was right.

 

“I’m not  _ married _ to Harry.” she finally shot back.

 

“You not being married? There’s a first.” Rosie deflected with no small amount of snark.

 

“I was very obviously not meant for a lasting relationship, as you and everyone else here are well aware.” Tanya snapped, her carefully crafted calm attitude breaking. She tilted her head back to look at the sky for a moment, slowly letting out a breath to reign herself back in. When she finally looked back around, everyone was watching her with varying degrees of what she could only describe as guilt for some and pity and uneasiness for others, all except Pepper, who  _ blessedly _ acted completely normal.

 

“Come on, baby, let’s get you to your room.” he grinned at her, tossing an arm around her shoulders, which served to ease some of the tension she still felt in her body.

 

“I think I can find it all on my own, thanks.” she said pointedly, lightly pushing his arm off.

 

“Can’t blame a guy for trying.” he replied without missing a beat. “I can fix you another drink while you do that anyway.” He winked at her, and she realized she had indeed drank the entire cocktail he’d brought her on the way up.

 

“I knew there was a reason I kept you around.”

 

“I can give you a lot more reasons to keep me around.” he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. She rolled her eyes, but there was a fondness to her smile that no one could deny.

 

“Is it just me, or are they being even flirtier than usual?” Donna asked no one in particular, watching her best friend walking off with her bartender trailing behind.

 

“It certainly seems that way.” Harry was the one who answered, a very obvious sulk on his face as he too watched the brunette sauntering away towards her room. He’d known Tanya wouldn’t be happy to see him, but he had hoped he could get her alone and talk to her. He missed her more than he had ever thought it was possible to miss another person. And though he knew it was his own fault, watching her unashamedly flirt with a boy nearly half their own ages was making him feel worse and worse with every passing second.

 

“So?” Rosie shrugged. “She’s single, she can flirt as much as she wants.” The words were spoken in a seemingly casual tone and carefully not directed at any one individual, but Harry knew that they were meant for him. He sighed quietly, muttering in a dejected tone that he was going to unpack and heading to his own room. Once he was inside, he laid back on his bed with a long suffering sigh.

 

Just two rooms over, Tanya was in much the same state, her heels haphazardly tossed in the corner as she tried her best to make her thoughts stop racing so she could go back out and face everyone again. And as they each laid there, staring up at the ceiling, they both had the same thought.

 

_ This was going to be a  _ **_very_ ** _ long week. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some Tanya/Rosie elements in this, deal with it, my muse can't control herself when it comes to those two okay?

It was nearing dinnertime when Tanya finally forced herself to get up and leave her room. She stepped out into the Grecian air, her bare feet silent against the stone beneath them. Her first instinct was to look for Rosie.

Protect Rosie. It was a mantra that had been constant in her mind since the moment she’d laid eyes on Bill and Harry that morning. Rosie was the important one. Rosie needed her, therefore she couldn’t fall apart like she so desperately wanted to faced with four men who had broken her heart. She had to keep it together and be there for Rosie just like Rosie had been for her during all her divorces. However, it was difficult to be there for someone when you didn’t know where they were.

Rosie was nowhere in sight. And once that registered in the brunette’s mind, it also registered that she also didn’t see Donna or Sophie or Harry or any of the others. Confusion settled on her features, and she wandered around the front of the hotel for a moment before gravitating towards the bar. It was almost a relief when she saw Pepper wiping down the counter.

“Hey, mama.” he looked up when she dropped on the barstool in front of him, abandoning his task to set his arms on the counter and lean against it. “You feeling any better?”

“Not really.” she answered honestly, letting out a tired little sigh. “But I have to be. For Rosie.”

“You know Rosie’s a big girl, right?” he asked, only half teasing. “She wouldn’t want you to put your feelings aside for her.”

“I’ve become so adept at compartmentalizing that I barely have feelings anymore. Rosie’s the important one.”

“You’re important too, Tanya.” She supposed it spoke volumes to how serious he was that he actually used her name rather than “mama” or “baby”, but she refused to let herself be deterred. Her new goal was to protect Rosie at all costs, and that was exactly what she was going to do.

“Where is everyone?” she finally replied, pointedly moving the conversation in a direction she was more comfortable with. He sighed but didn’t push the subject.

“Sophie suggested they all go to a new Italian place on the mainland. Rosie stressed that I needed to tell you she’s bringing food back for you and that she’s expecting you to eat it.” She couldn’t help sighing softly herself at that.

Rosie had been vigilant about Tanya’s eating habits ever since her third divorce when a few of her former health issues had resurfaced with a vengeance. Tanya usually complied with her wishes in order to assuage her obvious worries that her best friend was going to go on a downward spiral, but it was more difficult on days when she felt less than stellar.

“Any idea when they’ll be back?”

“Right now.” She carefully spun around on the barstool when she heard her best friend’s voice, rolling her eyes once more when she saw the large bag the shorter brunette was carrying.

“Did you buy one of everything on the menu?” she asked, her usual sass returning.

“I told you she would ask that.” Rosie pointed over at Donna, setting the bag on the bar next to the tall brunette. “And no, I did not. I did get a few things for you to choose from, but my food is in here too, you colossal tosser.”

“Oh be quiet, you British snob.” Tanya rolled her eyes, watching Rosie unpack several containers from the bag. “Why didn’t you eat at the restaurant?”

“We tried to get her to eat with us, but she insisted on waiting.” Sophie said. She thought it was sweet that her aunts worried about each other so much.

“She doesn’t eat when I’m not with her.” Rosie rolled her own eyes, sliding a few containers down to her best friend.

“I do so.” Tanya scoffed.

“Oh, my apologies, I’m sure your bird food is just lovely.” she deadpanned. Tanya picked a tomato out of the pasta she’d just opened, flicking it at her.

“Shut up.”

“You two sound like an old married couple sometimes, you know that?” Donna commented, dropping on a stool on Tanya’s other side.

“Do not call me old.” Tanya warned, pointing her fork at the blonde, who raised her hands in a gesture of surrender.

“Yes ma’am.” she smirked, only narrowly dodging the piece of food the brunette tossed at her.

Everything felt normal for awhile. The Dynamos laughed and joked and teased just like they used to, and it seemed that Tanya’s ex-husbands had managed to relax and joke around with one another as well. The dads, however, had gravitated to the side, seemingly immersed in a serious conversation. Tanya didn’t know or particularly care, or so she told herself, what they were discussing but when she chanced a glance over at them for what had to be the fourth time, the looks they were all sporting registered in her mind for the first time.

Bill and Harry both looked as though they were children being chastised by a parent, while Sam looked as though he were the parent. It made her stop trying to deny her curiosity and wonder freely what they could possibly be talking about.

“You’re staring.” A teasing voice interrupted her thoughts, and she turned her head to accept the drink Pepper was holding out to her.

“I’m nosy.” she countered with a shrug, taking a sip of the pink liquid.

“And hot.” he grinned, leaning over the bar to try and steal a kiss as he was prone to do. She smirked and rolled her eyes, swiftly turning her head so he caught her cheek.

“Nice try.”

“Farther than I’ve ever gotten.” he replied easily. “I’m counting it as a win.”

“Oi, Tanya! Quit playing with the puppy and get over here!”

“You heard the woman.” she told Pepper sarcastically, standing. “No more playtime.”

“Think I could get some more if I got on my knees and begged?” he was quick to ask, wriggling his eyebrows at her suggestively. She didn’t fail to notice that he had said it just as all the men seemed to tune back into their surroundings. She found it amusing how determined he seemed to be to make them jealous and uncomfortable, so playing along came to her easily. She schooled her features into a decidedly sultry look, her hand coming to rest lightly against his chest.

“Oh, darling, I can think of so many more enjoyable reasons for you to be on your knees.” At least twelve people around her choked, and the majority of them were exactly the ones she had been aiming to fluster. Pepper himself looked as though he was both trying not to laugh at them and trying to resist the urge to jump her right then.

“Tanya Grace Chesham-Leigh!” She turned and gave Donna an innocent look as she took a sip of her drink.

“Yes, Donna Marie Sheridan?” She sauntered over to where the other Dynamos were standing, very aware of both the fact that Pepper was staring at her ass and that the dads and her ex-husbands were still attempting to stop choking.

“I really don’t understand how you can be so straightforward like that.” Donna shook her head as the brunette stopped in front of her and Rosie. “Especially when you’re not even serious about it.”

“Who says I’m not serious about it?” Tanya raised an eyebrow at her. “I very well could have plans to have that boy on his knees for me.”

“Okay first of all, ew.” She rolled her eyes. “And second of all, the three of us all know that you have no such plans.”

“I know no such thing.” Rosie protested, much to their blonde best friend’s chagrin. “We don’t come here very often, Donna, and she’s free to do what she wants. Maybe she wants to have some fun with him.”

“He’s twenty-eight years old!”

“Your point?” the tall brunette asked. It wasn’t like she was making sexual innuendos at a teenage boy. And Rosie was right, she was completely within her rights to have some fun wherever she could get it.

“I don’t know. Just be careful, okay?” Donna finally sighed, seemingly resigned to the fact that the heavy flirting wasn’t going to be stopping anytime soon.

“Just relax, Donna. It’s not like anyone’s getting hurt by it.” Rosie pointed out before sticking a forkful of cake in her mouth.

“You’d be surprised.” Donna muttered, her gaze shifting over to Harry for a moment before quickly shifting back. It was so quick that if she hadn’t known Donna so well, Tanya would have missed it.

“If he’s hurt by it, then it’s well deserved.” she nearly hissed, keeping her voice low.

“Tanya, there’s more to all this than you know, just-” Donna began desperately. She didn’t want to upset her best friend, but she felt the need to defend Harry. He was, after all, one of her daughter’s three possible fathers.

“I told you so.” Rosie muttered to Tanya, sliding her glass of wine over to her friend. Tanya scowled at her, downing the alcohol quickly. She hated being wrong.

“Told her what?” their blonde best friend had stopped, looking at them both in confusion.

“Doesn’t matter.” Tanya dismissed, standing up. “I’m going to bed.”

“What? Why? It’s only nine!” She turned at the sound of Sophie’s voice, seeing that just about everyone had stopped to look at them. It made her feel slightly unnerved, which wasn’t like her at all. She loved the spotlight, being the center of attention. But in that moment, she just wanted to run and hide and refuse to face the world.

“It’s just been a long day, kiddo.” she sent her niece a weak smile, hoping it would be enough to appease her. Of course, no one around looked very convinced, but graciously, they all kept their mouths shut.

“Okay, auntie Tanya.” Sophie bounded up to her aunt, throwing her arms around her and hugging her tightly before whispering so only she could hear. “Don’t let the guys ruin your trip. I love you.” The remaining few minutes she was outside seemed to pass in a blur. Rosie stood up at some point with a declaration that she was heading to bed too, resolutely ignoring the longing stare that gained her from Bill. Then, before she even knew what was happening, Tanya felt herself being dragged towards her room. It took a moment for her thoughts to slow down and allow her to realize that Rosie had her by the arm and was gently leading, rather than dragging as she had thought at first, her towards their shared room.

“I don’t know if I can do this.” she admitted, sitting down in front of the vanity and almost mechanically starting to remove her makeup. “This was supposed to be an easy trip. Ex-husbands I’ve been over for ages and that I knew were going to be here I could handle, but not...not this.”

“You don’t give yourself enough credit.” Rosie denied, stepping up behind her. Her hands landed on Tanya’s shoulders, gently massaging them. “You’re the strongest person I know. You can get through anything.” The brunette tipped her head back to rest against her best friend’s chest, closing her eyes with a tired sigh.

“I’m just so tired, Rosie.” Tired of what, she couldn’t truly say. Of being strong? Of trying so hard to be the person everyone saw her as? Of having her heart broken? She was just tired and could not for the life of her begin to explain it. Rosie, however, seemed to understand just from that simple statement and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“I know, T. I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, so I hope you enjoyed it. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them, and also, I'm debating whether or not to have Tanya have some kind of fling before she and Harry eventually get back together since I honestly have no clue when exactly that's going to happen, so let me know your thoughts on that too if you feel like it.


End file.
